NAME¶

bsd_signal - signal handling with BSD semantics

SYNOPSIS¶

#define _XOPEN_SOURCE /* See feature_test_macros(7) */
#include <signal.h>

typedef void (*sighandler_t)(int);

sighandler_t bsd_signal(int signum, sighandler_t handler);

DESCRIPTION¶

The bsd_signal() function takes the same arguments, and performs the same task, as signal(2).

The difference between the two is that bsd_signal() is guaranteed to provide reliable signal semantics, that is: a) the disposition of the signal is not reset to the default when the handler is invoked; b) delivery of further instances of the signal is blocked while the signal handler is executing; and c) if the handler interrupts a blocking system call, then the system call is automatically restarted. A portable application cannot rely on signal(2) to provide these guarantees.

RETURN VALUE¶

The bsd_signal() function returns the previous value of the signal handler, or SIG_ERR on error.

ERRORS¶

As for signal(2).

CONFORMING TO¶

4.2BSD, POSIX.1-2001. POSIX.1-2008 removes the specification of bsd_signal(), recommending the use of sigaction(2) instead.

NOTES¶

Use of bsd_signal() should be avoided; use sigaction(2) instead.

On modern Linux systems, bsd_signal() and signal(2) are equivalent. But on older systems, signal(2) provided unreliable signal semantics; see signal(2) for details.

The use of sighandler_t is a GNU extension; this type is defined only if the _GNU_SOURCE feature test macro is defined.

SEE ALSO¶

sigaction(2), signal(2), sysv_signal(3), signal(7)

COLOPHON¶

This page is part of release 3.53 of the Linux man-pages project. A description of the project, and information about reporting bugs, can be found at http://www.kernel.org/doc/man-pages/.